Sketchnote Advent Calendar: 12 – Andrea Brücken

“Steampunk” was totally unknown to me until I followed Andrea on Twitter. Steam was powering all the machines of the early industrial revolution. Like Wifi is essential to our always-connected life. From what I got, Steampunk consists of reproducing atmospheres where the bruteness of steam time machinery juxtaposes extravagant costumes of the new middle class of the same time. This hobby surely requires imagination, a bit of extravagance, and intense curiosity. A perfect fit for Andrea.

Andrea is the fourth of the Fab Four in this advent calendar of Sketchnoters. The Fab Four is the group of German Women Sketchnoters who imagined (and executed) so well the International Sketchnote Camp in Hamburg in 2017. It’s now in its 3rd year and will take place in Paris.

By day Andrea is a journalist. I guess that’s what connects with the curiosity, the sharp eye. Journalists are professional curious but they dig deeper than the rest of us, they practice professionally.

Andrea adds a bit of irony to her sketches. Step back and look for another meaning. I guess for her, drawing is a path, not an end. How will end the story of Linda? we don’t know, what count is what happens every day. What will she discover with news inks? We don’t know but she will explore for us. It may lead us far away from sketchnoting, who cares. How will she recycle hats or old clothes, what count is the experience.

She is also an urban sketcher and organized the last sketch crawl in Hamburg. Repeated barcamp organizer as well. That’s one of the things for which Germany is great. Collaborative events take place and everybody does his share of the work. They can scale and repeat events like that anywhere. Something missing in France.

Note that all handles differ. I’m still trying to understand the meaning of her Twitter handle: dieHauteCulture. I got my Eureka moment earlier in my bath. Die-Haute-Couture. Replace “ou” with “ul”. Now that I just pasted it and read it again, I realized I’ve been reading it wrong for 2 years. It is “culture”, not “couture”, no Eureka for Bruno. You need three languages to get it. Smart.

I was chatting with Andrea at #ISC17HH when she was called on stage. I alerted her. Now it’s my duty to let her know when she is expected on stage. I enjoy chatting with Andrea, her vast culture makes it possible to cover diverse topics beyond drawing. She likes my writing too 🙂

We had our weird moments on Twitter too. Like with other tweeps since I tend to speak my mind openly, and will continue. With the great people, debate carry-on and things are sorted out when everybody understands each other’s point of view. That’s the greatness of Twitter for those who get it.

This is a weird discussion. Barcamps are not that "cheap" any more like They used to be. We have had many problems to make last years camp that comfortable in pricing. Organize one, find sponsors. And you will understand. 🤔

As I conclude this post, I try to imagine what will be Wifipunk in 2118. I’m getting imaginative too. People dressed with antiquated, short, colorful sportswear gesticulating with relics of IPhones. Turned into mute bricks since long. They would meet for collective searches of wifi and power for their batteries. People would stare at them, wondering why people used handheld devices when having chips directly connected to our brains at birth is so convenient and cheap. From what will their Maslow pyramid be made of? Will they have their own Linda/DieHauteCulture to enlight them?